The King's Collie

Part I, Chapter 5: Library Mischief

It was in nearly no time afterwards that the two canines arrived at the library, and what a sight it was to behold! It was, presumably, the largest library in the kingdom, serving both as a storage of the essential records and as a proud personal collection. There were books of all kinds; a few such novels that the royals enjoyed from time to time, and a few maps and things that the King found resourceful. At the center of the room was one of these maps; it was of all the known world. It was this map that instantly drew Cameron's eye.

"What're you looking at, there?" Marco asked.

This was in vain, for the collie was too enchanted by the sight to even reply. He stepped closer, and squinted, looking around the map in all its illustrated majesty. He blinked, and got to his tiptoes, to squint at the tiny region that was Valentia. It was an astonishing fact: He knew of lands beyond, but not that Valentia was so small compared to some of them.

Eventually, though, Cameron decided to explore a bit more of the library. There were shelves, as high as a lion could reach, higher than any short dog like him could. He stopped as he saw Marco, holding a thick and densely-illuminated book.

"I guess I shouldn't nag you for having a Bible in the common language," Marco chortled, holding out the book, "because the King has one, too. Can you read it?"

The younger bard thus took it, and, carrying it in his elbow, flipped to the first page. "The first book, Genesis," he figured slowly, running his finger along the words. "In the begging— no, no, beginning— God created the Heaven, and the Earth. Earth was without form, and darkness was upon the land."

"You've got it," Marco smiled. "You can read more than you said of yourself," he then complimented, patting the collie's back. It made Cameron fumble the old book a little, though he made sure to catch it.

The two then wandered around the various shelves and displays of the library, wondering what they could find. There were fat books and smaller scrolls, varying from guides meant to help young nobles practice reading to ones in different languages entirely. Scripts from plays and descriptions of foreign lands lined the shelves, as did biographies and memoirs of the Kingdom's persons of fame.

Marco seemed a little antsy, though, and soon stepped out. He had a bit of a guilty look on his face as he walked back through the arched entryway they came. Cameron saw the departing wolf, and, with an armful of books, yipped softly.

"What's wrong?" Cameron asked, slipping a collection of poems off the shelf.

"I'm trying to keep an eye out. We're not supposed to be here without royal permission, and Felix gets especially bothered when I rummage in here," Marco considered.

"Why would you even bring me here, then, if we aren't supposed to be around?" the younger of the canines grumbled a little.

"I wanted to show you around a little, and I sometimes sneak a few books out," the larger wolf said. He showed a songbook he somewhat stealthily carried in his own arm, and pointed.

"Think I could do that?" Cameron now more interestedly asked, showing a larger pile of thicker books. The rules didn't concern him as much, now, as he could perhaps get away with breaking them.

"Put a few back, then maybe you could," Marco answered unsurely.

Suddenly, an ursine guard clanked around. "The king requests a flourish," he simply said.

"If I'm caught with these books, I'm telling them it was your idea," the wolf stuck his tongue playfully out at Cameron, as he made his way down the hall.

"Same to you," Cameron chortled. Seeing his friend hastily leave, he too decided to do so, hefting his borrowed literature along, back to his room.

—

Cameron laid for a little while on his bed, setting the books he'd chosen on his nightstand, and picking one up. It seemed interesting enough. The cover was blank besides a rose, but the letters on the binding told that this was the story of St. George. He raised an eyebrow as he began to read, taking in each detail of the plot, and looking closely at the illuminated pages. He was right in the middle of that climactic dragon-battle of the story when a knock at the door came. "Cameron?" a guard blurted. "The Queen desires your company."

The canine leaned up, and nodded, eager to once again see the royalty he was assigned to serve. He grasped his lute, and, after taking another look at the piled borrowed books, rushed out, still in wonder as he passed through the castle halls.